Saudi Arabia - End Secrecy, End Suffering

‘I told my investigators... ‘What crime do you have against me?’... Their answer was nothing else but beating me.’ - A political prisoner held in a prison in al-Taif in 1996

No Dissent Allowed

1. A system of injustice 2. No dissent allowed 3. Torture and ill-treatment 4. The death penalty 5. Women's rights 6. Migrant workers 7. Arming the torturers

Anyone brave enough to voice dissent in Saudi Arabia is likely to end up in jail for a very long time and suffer other violations of their basic human rights. The reason is simple. The government does not allow any criticisms of its policies or any independent thought or activity that might challenge the status quo.

Political and religious opponents of the government and activists promoting rights for the country’s minority Shi’a Muslim community are at constant risk of indefinite detention without charge or trial. They are often released only after pledging to stop their activities.

Sheikh Salman bin Fahd al-’Awda and Sheikh Safr ’Abd al-Rahman al-Hawali, both Sunni Muslims, were arrested in September 1994 for their political activities. They were kept in al-Ha‘ir prison in Riyadh without being charged or tried until June 1999. The Ministry of the Interior stated:

“Security forces have arrested... [them] after about one year of attempts to convince... [them] to repent their extremist ideas... which threaten the unity of the Islamic society in the Kingdom, or to stop giving such speeches, holding conferences and distributing tapes...”

Thousands of political detainees have been arbitrarily detained over the years. They have included individual critics and members of banned political and religious movements, as well as relatives and friends of such people. Today there are thought to be between 100 and 200 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia, including possible prisoners of conscience, most held without charge.

For example, Dr Sa’id bin Zua’ir, head of the Department of Information at Imam Muhammad Ibn Sa’ud University, was arrested in early 1995 at his home in Riyadh by members of al-Mabahith al-’Amma (General Investigations). He is believed to have been denied visits from his relatives and to have been pressured to sign an undertaking to cease political activities in exchange for his release. Nevertheless, he continues to be held in al-Ha‘ir prison in Riyadh.

Waleed al-Sinani has reportedly been detained without trial since 1995. He may be a prisoner of conscience. His arrest appeared to be related to his political beliefs, in particular statements he made about the government and human rights.

The few political dissidents who are brought to trial face summary justice and harsh sentences, sometimes including judicial corporal punishments amounting to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. Ibrahim ’Abd al-Rahman al-Hudhayf, for example, was sentenced in 1995 to 18 years' imprisonment and 300 lashes. He was among a group of political prisoners convicted of offences which included having links with the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights, an organization based abroad. Details of the trial of the whole group remain secret to this day. Ibrahim ’Abd al-Rahman al-Hudhayf and others convicted with him were released in 1998 under an amnesty.